Unknowns and Safety

Shape should never hide uncertainty. If a function’s effects are not known yet, say so.

module audit

resource AuditEvent : AppendOnly

component AuditStore {
  owns AuditEvent
  fn importLegacyEvents
    source ts("src/audit/import.ts#importLegacyEvents")
    effects unknown
}

effects unknown is a valid syntax choice, but it is not a safe final state for protected architecture. It tells reviewers exactly where analysis is incomplete.

Complete effects

Use effects complete only when the summary is intended to be exhaustive:

module audit

resource AuditEvent : AppendOnly

component AuditStore {
  owns AuditEvent
  grants Read<AuditEvent>
  fn listEvents
    source ts("src/audit/store.ts#listEvents")
    effects complete {
      Read<AuditEvent>
        evidence ts("src/audit/store.ts:18-25")
    }
}

Complete summaries make deterministic checking possible.

Unexplained refactor constraints

effects unknown is for incomplete effect analysis. It is different from a known refactor constraint that the team cannot fully explain yet.

For refactor-sensitive functions, use a typed memory with status Unexplained:

module bridge

resource Attestation

component BridgePoller {
  owns Attestation
  grants Read<Attestation>
  fn pollAttestation : RefactorSensitive
    effects complete {
      Read<Attestation>
    }
}

memory BridgePollingDelayConstraint : RefactorConstraint<fn BridgePoller.pollAttestation> {
  applies_to fn BridgePoller.pollAttestation
  status Unexplained
  confidence High
  summary "Previous attempts to lower this delay caused intermittent settlement failures."
  who { owner BridgeTeam }
}

That keeps uncertainty reviewable without hiding the known constraint.